Every youngster who learns the game of golf dreams of winning a PGA Tour title, every professional golfer wants to add a major championship trophy to his mantle, but the best yearn to play in the Ryder Cup.

The Ryder Cup officially began in 1927 and the 40th edition will be held this week at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland. In the early years the United States dominated the competition, but since continental Europe was added in 1979, they have had the advantage.

The Europeans have won seven of the last nine Ryder Cups contested. Their come from behind win at the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, after being down six points, was one of the most stunning upsets of all time.

The Back 9 Report covered every detail of the 2014 Ryder Cup. Team player profiles, possible pairings and even a prediction or two were offered.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/edraft/2014/09/24/the-back-nine-report-presented-by-edraftcom

The European team is heavily favored and they enter the matches with four of the top-six ranked players in the world, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose.

Each team has three players that will be making their first appearances in the Ryder Cup. This may be one of the few advantages the U.S. team has. Jimmy Walker, Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth appear stronger on paper than Victor Dubuisson, Jamie Donaldson and Stephen Gallacher.

Neither Lee Westwood nor Phil Mickelson, two of the most veteran Ryder Cuppers, have had a good year and both are looking to use their experience to lead their team to victory.

Ian Poulter’s heroics and his putter were key motivators for the Europeans in 2012. Will he don his “Red Cape” and hole everything again this year or can the Americans find a “Super Poults” of their own to counter him?

Team USA may have to look to Rickie Fowler or the explosive Patrick Reed to provide the stimulus to knock off the Europeans.

The Ryder Cup offers golf at its purest form, competition for the pure joy of teeing it up against another golfer and seeing who is the better man. 

They do not play for a $10 million purse or a $1.5 million check. They are playing for their teammates, their captain and their country.

As the pressure builds toward the singles matches on Sunday it is always interesting to see who can handle the pressure and who will rise to the top.

The Ryder Cup never fails to draw me in and I am rarely disappointed.

Check out our preview of the Ryder Cup on Back Nine Report below.